| Author | Message | ||
     Xl1200r |
Actually, it was a track 2-days. Sat and Sun and NJMP Lightning. Didn't get to the track until about 2:30am on Saturday, so a quick 3 hour nap and then it was time to shower and get setup and through tech. I went with a guy I met near me who used to race and now just does track days with his track-only 2003 R6. I was running in the beginner Novice group and he was in the advanced group. Setting up:   My first session didn't go well - I was here last year and for some reason figured I could run just like I did at the end of the day last year, and ended up doing a little off roading coming out of turn 7. I kept it upright, though, and after that the rest of the day was going great. I was easily the fastest in my group, and my buddy thought I was faster than most people in the intermediate group as well. Not many good pictures of me, but this is sitting in some traffic through turn 7:  Paul's second session ended with a crash for him - he was on the outside of someone going into turn 1 and they moved further outside, they got tangled up and both went down. Paul was okay and the bike was fixed up quick. The other guy got knocked out and earned an ambulance ride, but came by later and seemed ok but a little out of it. Not sure what his bike eneded up looking like. Here's Paul going through turn 1 the right way:  The second day started out MUCH better than the first, and in the first session I was already getting into a groove. After my second session, a coach pulled me over in the pits and told me I was "fast as f---" and bumped me to the advanced novice group, and told me I was missing apexes, but wasn't sure if it was because I was always setting up for slow traffic or if I was just missing them. I worked on my line more and tighter apexes and still had no competition in my group. After lunch, I was approached by another coach who said he had followed me for an entire session and wanted me to move to the intermediate group.  This was a MUCH better match for me - I passed maybe 2-3 people each session in this group, and got passed by 1 to 2, so I think it's a good fit. Best of all, if I got behind someone going slower than me, I was annoyed at the pace and was content staying with them and paying more attention to my line and trying other things to get through a turn faster. Having Paul there, who had raced for a long time, was great. He showed me some things to try and most worked out really well. Even cooler, he was having trouble with turn 7 and turn 1, and got a lightbulb after he followed me through them - kind of neat to show the way to someone with loads more experience. Makes me feel like I kind of know what the hell I'm doing. When Paul was with me for the one session, we were doing a 1:20-ish lap times. Not bad considering I was trying a new line through 2 and 3 that I really didn't like, I was tired as hell, it was my third track day ever, and I was on street tires. I was probably more like 1:18 or so on a good lap. For reference, Paul's 600 on slicks and as many years of experience as I am old was dipping into the 1:11's.  Overall a GREAT weekend and I can't wait until next season. | ||
| Eboos |
Awesome. I'm glad that you had a good time at the track. We need more Buells out doing trackdays and racing. Since you aren't too far away, you should come up to Loudon, NH for one of out Boston Moto trackdays. | ||
| Paint_shaker |
Sounds like you had a good time!! Track days are fun! Racing is even more fun!!! | ||
| Xl1200r |
Paul actually used to do a lot of riding at Loudon and was a coach there for a long time, but didn't go there once this year - he just doesn't like the track and thinks it dangerous. I'd like to try it sometime, but Paul feels for the extra 90 minute drive it is to NJ from where we are, it's worth it to head south. I LOVE track days, and I'm contemplating selling my old Harley to buy a track bike. I definitely like representing Buell. The first day there were two others, both Firebolts. One was pretty much stock and in the Novice group, the other was totally decked out for racing and in the advanced group. The next day I was the only one, and both days I was the only 1125. Everything else was the big four, a pile of Ducs, a Triumph and even an MV Agusta. |
